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<blogEntry id="1095">
	<title><![CDATA[First time in hakama :)]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Yesterday I've finally received my hakama... after about a month, which is actuallt better than usual as I was told. As sensei mentioned, politicians argue about weakened economy and Bujin does not have enaugh time to keep up with their orders :)
Mike helped me to put it on and it was not so terrible. Moving in it was surprisingly easy except sitting and standing from seiza, but that's ok. No injuries. Though I caught Lucy with my hakama while taking ukemi :) That's a hiddent weapon!
First we did a mixed technique. Start from katate dori, then hands move as taino hanko, but instead of stepping just slide, turn your hips and kokyu ho. That helps to feel the connection with uke. Then we did morote dori kokyu ho. I'm don't feel confortable with all these techniques. I can't find the correct position for the throw. Well, with time I'll figure that out. At least today I understood how sensei does his huge slides! He moves forward foot first! Such an enlightmen! Oh man, I was so blind to not see it and try to slide with one step!
After that we did shomenuch iriminage, then yokumenuchi iriminage. Sensei emphasized the position before throw. Shoulders, face and knot (hips) should face the same direction as uke. Then move across and throw. I'm trying, but I'm still uncomfortable with these techniques.
Then we did 5th boken suburi. Here I have to remember to open my fist while raising the boken in the left stance. I think I did well with boken. I'm sure sensei was watching us very closely since only 3 of us were doing the suburi (Lucy and a new guy were working on a side, Mike was helping Wane to prepare for his test), but only once he stopped me and asked to losen my grip in the left hand when raising the boken from left stance. For comparison he stopped other two guys several time even though both of them are at least brown belts.
Anyway, my shoulders become tired pretty soon, which means I do something wrong. I'll ask sensei to find out what's wrong with my cutting.
Attendance sheet was already filled for this class. Sensei did that again himself for everyone I think.
Mike was in a hurry and I didn't have time to wrap up my hakama correctly, so I'll do that in the evening using written directions. ]]></body>
	<date>10-15-2004</date>
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